Evaluating online I-O graduate programs: An information-seeking guide for prospective students

ABSTRACT

Comparing the application requirements of an online program with those of other programs, including in-person programs, may provide information about the program’s accessibility and rigor. [...]this information may serve as a proxy for how potential employers will perceive the quality of graduates from this program. [...]good online programs will also provide structure to aid students in gaining networking opportunities in their specific markets (e.g., local associations of applied psychologists, Society for Human Resources Management chapters). How does the program facilitate social connections among students across the virtual divide? Because peers represent potential collaborators, coworkers, and friends, it is valuable to know whether or not and how the graduate school experience will foster such connections. How are typical aspects of mentorship, such as unscheduled informal meetings, handled in a remote format? Because online education was foisted on many faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is no reason to assume that any one individual will be comfortable navigating technologies such as videoconferencing software or accustomed to regular meetings via such means.